Lava Iris Pro 30+ is a good smartphone overall. However, Lava will find it difficult to justify Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, a 4.7-inch screen and quad-core processor at a price of Rs. 11,399.

Lava recently launched its Iris Pro 30+ as an upgraded version of its Iris Pro 30 smartphone, which was launched earlier this year in January. The newly launched ‘plus’ version looks the same and shares an almost similar spec sheet at a launch price of Rs. 11,990.

While few changes like 16 GB internal memory, 13 MP rear camera and dual SIM card slots supporting regular SIM card in one are welcome, what’s frustrating to see is that Lava did not care to provide the latest Android 4.4 KitKat OS despite launching the so-called upgraded Iris Pro 30+ version after six months. I used the Lava Iris Pro 30+ for over three weeks and here’s my take.

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Design: The upgraded model looks exactly same as the previously launched Lava Iris Pro 30. However, if you are viewing for the first time, the device will surely impress you.

The unique iPhone-like design should draw appreciation from the mid-range smartphone market. The device is very light and slim.

The matte finish soft plastic back gives a premium feel. The back can be opened to access two SIM card slots (regular + micro) and a microSD card slot, however, the battery cannot be removed.

The 4.7-inch screen makes one-handed operation easy and it easily fits inside trouser pockets. In general, users shouldn’t have any complains with the design.

Display: The upgraded model is using the same display and produces decent results. Indoor visibility is of course good and at 312 ppi, the devices offers an average viewing experience outdoors. However, on bright sunlight, visibility is not good when the screen is kept at medium brightness. The viewing angles and colours are good. The display resolution is pretty sharp thanks to the One Glass Solution.

Performance: The 1.5 GHz quad-core processor does a good job. The device scored 19887 on AnTuTu and ranks close to Google Nexus 4. I did not experience any sort of lags during regular usage. Multimedia performance on the device was good too. I played a HD movie from my pen drive (USB OTG) and scrolled through the time line while running several back ground tasks without any lags. There was no heating issues on regular usage. Overall, smartphone offers a smooth experience and buyers in this price segment shouldn’t face any issues with performance.

Software and UI: The device offers a pure stock Android experience which is good for most smartphone users in this range. Lava has not added any sort of bloatware.

Image at 4X zoom.

Camera: Decent. The camera actually offers up to 18 MP resolutions. The camera produces good images in low lighting conditions as well. However, when images are shot with full zoom, the results are disappointing.

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The camera features several modes like HDR, Live Photo (image with sound), multi-angle shot and panaroma.

The camera is a bit slow when it is focusing on a subject. Overall, the performance of the camera is decent.

Storage: The device comes with 16 GB of internal storage out of which around 8 GB is available. The storage can be further expanded up to 32 GB via microSD card. This is one area Lava has improved. The previous Iris Pro 30 model offered only 1.5 GB of free internal storage.

Battery: Surprisingly good. If someone is using a 2G network for regular usage, the device will last for almost 48 hours on medium display brightness. On 3G network, with a full charge, the phone will easily last a full day or even more.

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Verdict: Lava Iris Pro 30+ is a good smartphone overall. However, Lava will surely lose mileage for using an older Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS. As a lot of competitors are offering a better spec sheet in the price range of Rs. 11,000 to Rs. 13,000, Lava will find it difficult to justify Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, a 4.7-inch screen and a quad-core processor at a price of Rs. 11,399. However, if you like the phone and not too keen on the spec sheet, go ahead and buy it.